Talks:

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Friday:​

Building your apiary from empty nest hobby to empty nest syndrome how we survived

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Bio

​Julie Sander is co-owner of an apiary is central Iowa. In 2015 her husband asked her to take a beekeeping class and of course her answer was no. After further consideration she consented and agreed to try to help him giving no guarantees which began their empty nest hobby. Working their first 7 hives in 2015 she decided it was worth the effort and partnered with him in building this small business. MJ’s Hometown Honey began to grow fast so she began to diversify the business with selling nucs and value-added products to utilize the wax and provide customers with healthy products for their home under the Lakeside Bees & Market LLC.  Helping people and relationships are an important part of their business. They take on mentees each year and specialize in being in everyone else’s backyard since Altoona is not bee friendly.  Currently that number is 33. When she isn’t working her corporate job you will find her among the bees or spoiling the grandkids.